Cong calendar for 2018 polls out, but HDK predicts early elections

12:38 PM, Friday, February 3rd, 2017

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Bengaluru: The Congress on Thursday unveiled a calendar to indicate the countdown for the 2018 Assembly elections in the state. However, the JD(S) has said the elections are likely to be held in 2017 itself.

KPCC president G Parameshwara and working president Dinesh Gundu Rao launched the calendar which indicated that just 427 days are left for the general elections in 2018.

The party’s mission, it said, was “#CongressGovtBackin2018. Only hard work for 427 days would ensure that the party is back in power”.

In contrast, JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy told reporters, “My intuition says that the elections will be advanced to 2017. The elections may be six to eight months away. I am not predicting but going by my intuition, which usually does not go wrong.

The government may fall anytime.”

Both the Congress and the BJP are in a pitiable condition. While the Congress is struggling to get a candidate to face the Nanjangud byelection, the BJP is pleading with S M Krishna to join it, Kumaraswamy said.

“But as far as I am concerned, I am just going before the people seeking their blessings to give me an opportunity to provide good governance next time,” he added.

The JD(S) leader said sometime ago, the BJP was confident of bagging 150 seats.

“If the BJP is confident, then why should it beg Krishna to join the party? Shobha Karandlaje and C T Ravi had announced that if a senior leader like Krishna joins the party, then the BJP would benefit. If such is the case, then why did it condemn L K Advani who built the party?”

Asked whether the JD(S) would field candidates to the Nanjangud and Gundlupet elections, he did not offer a direct reply. He said the present developments indicate that the Assembly elections may be advanced.

The party has convened a state-level meeting of its leaders on February 8 at Palace Grounds, to discuss steps to be taken to face the Assembly elections.

Earlier, Pratham, the winner of Big Boss TV show, met Kumaraswamy.

KPCC president G Parameshwara has convened a meeting of party office-bearers and district presidents on February 6 in Bengaluru to discuss the political scene in the state and also the ramifications following the exit of former chief minister S M Krishna from the Congress.